Elaeagnus umbellata 'Amber' (Autumn Olive 'Amber' (4-5 ft))

Amber is Elaeagnus umbellata, Autumn Olive, an East Asian shrub historically planted for wildlife forage and edible silvery-red berries. The fruit is high in lycopene and pleasantly tart-sweet, and the plant fixes nitrogen, which once made it popular in marginal-soil plantings.

Invasive warning: Elaeagnus umbellata is regulated as a noxious or invasive weed in many U.S. regions and self-seeds aggressively via bird-dispersed fruit, displacing native shrubs and altering soil chemistry. We do not recommend planting Autumn Olive in Oregon or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. Check your state and county noxious-weed lists before adding this plant to your landscape.

If you already have Autumn Olive on your property and want to manage it responsibly, prune to prevent fruiting and consider gradual replacement with native nitrogen-fixers and bird-fruit shrubs. The plant is deer-resistant and tolerates poor soil, drought, and salt, traits that unfortunately also make it a successful invader. For new planting, please choose a native fruiting alternative instead.

If you're considering native fruiting alternatives that support PNW birds and ecology, look at Vaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry), Vaccinium parvifolium (Red Huckleberry), Rubus parviflorus (Thimbleberry), Rubus spectabilis (Salmonberry), or Amelanchier alnifolia (Saskatoon). These provide bird food, pollinator support, and Indigenous food heritage in your landscape.